Even more than 30 years after its demise, Group B still holds a special allure for motorsport fans. The cars, the competition, the controversy - it was a spectacular form of rallying in every regard.
As such, the vehicles associated with Group B are becoming ever more coveted. An Audi Sport Quattro road car will cost you more than £300K now, with the 205 T16 and Ford RS200 not a long way behind. The racing versions? We don't know numbers big enough...
Therefore when a factory built Group B rally car comes goes to auction with an estimate of less than £200,000, it's going to grab the attention. Sure, it's not exactly Shed rallying, but for a Group B car from a works team that doesn't sound silly.
The catch? This RX-7 never actually raced. It was built in 1985, one of seven completed cars; 20 were required by the rules, but Group B had finished before they could be built. Chassis MRTE 019 is the only one never to have competed and, following an ownership journey that's taken it around Europe, the car is now ready to be sold in its original Group B works rally spec. Quite a find then!
You couldn't use it, could you? But then could you leave a refreshed rally car alone? Attractive though the RX-7 is, this rally car is hardly the prettiest thing to sink £200K into. We'd be fascinated to know what you would do.
The car is being sold at RM's London sale next month where, as usual, the other lots are equally jaw-dropping. Need proof? See this gorgeous Lamborghini 400 GT, a Pearl Red Lexus LFA, a unique (no, really) Ferrari Enzo, a Gemballa Avalanche from the 80s (!), a Gordon Spice Capri and more. Start your daydreaming here!
[Photos: Dirk De Jager, Rowan Horncastle, Tim Scott and Dom Romney for RM Sotheby's]